


Little Things

by renegadejaybird (vitious)



Series: Subtle Flavors [3]
Category: Red Hood and the Outlaws, Red Robin (Comics), Teen Titans
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-10
Updated: 2012-12-10
Packaged: 2017-11-20 18:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/588417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vitious/pseuds/renegadejaybird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's all the subtleties and little tells that tell Jason everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Things

When the first package hits his door with a soft thump, Jason thinks it’s a bomb.  However, when he squints at the red box with the black ribbon, notes the labels from a pricey tea company, he relaxes a bit.  That first box had been full of Green, Jasmine, and Oolong teas, all with a different extra flavor, such as almond or mint.  He’d hated to admit it, but Tim had picked out great teas, ones that he drank frequently, some that he even took with him when he traveled.

When he ran out, another box appeared, this one full of black teas including Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong, a small pouch of a Chocolate Chai tucked in, almost as an afterthought.  Those are just as good, each full and rich, perfect for when he wakes up after only a few hours of sleep to move on to the next crisis.  He does, however, miss the previous teas, and he’s fairly certain Tim has his safe houses bugged as another box of the previous teas appears almost out of thin air.

It’s during the delivery of the third set of teas that Jason catches the other man, clad as Red Robin, dangling from the roof, frozen like a deer in headlights.  Jason lifts a brow at him, holding the door open, clad only in his low-riding yoga pants and a bored expression.  Tim doesn’t move for a few moments before he sighs and drops down, hesitantly stepping inside of the safe house he’d been inside only once, many months before.  Once the door was closed, Jason moved to lean back against it, his hair disheveled, looking the other man over. 

“Why are you buying me tea?” He asked immediately, looking perplexed and suspicious.

“I… Well, because you like it and, well, you saved my life not long ago…” Tim trailed off, glancing aside, apparently feeling that he was still vulnerable despite his mask giving nothing away.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.”

Jason frowns at that before shrugging his shoulders. “Whatever.  Just try not to throw them at the door when all you have to do is knock.”

It was difficult for the older man to tell, but looked as if Tim was blushing.  Then again, he supposed that the flush could have been from the cold Gotham air or the warmth of his Safe House.  Either way he could tell that the other man was nervous about something judging from the way he shifted his weight, the way his fingers twitched, resisting the urge to clench and unclench.

“Edgy?” Jason questioned, pushing away from the door and taking a step forward.

Tim wouldn’t have taken a step backwards normally, but he did then. “…No.”

Lifting his hands, showing that he wasn’t armed and didn’t intend to harm him, he headed into his kitchen. “Right.  Not at all.  Are you staying or going?”

“I—Can I stay?” Tim questioned softly and, when Jason looked back, he’d drawn back his cowl, his hair mussed, something that made the older man swallow and turn to retrieve his kettle.

“Yeah, you can stay.”  Jason answered immediately, reaching for the teas in his cupboard.

“Um…” the older man glanced back, noting the box that the smaller man was holding out to him. “Here.  I wasn’t certain what else you’d like but…”

Jason took the box, leaning back against the stove, and opened it, lips quirking a little at the contents.  There were rooibos and fruit teas, all sweet, some not even needing sugar, and all just as high quality.  He immediately drew out the rooibos vanilla, setting the rest of the box aside, mixing it with a small amount of chai in the infuser that he slipped into his kettle.

“Thank you.” Jason finally turned, eyes locking with the other man’s; that was definitely a blush. “You sure Bats isn’t going to miss you?”

Tim lowered his eyes before shrugging, a small smile curving his lips; it looked good on him. “I’m sure he can manage with out me for a bit.”

“How long?” Jason questioned softly, watching the other man blink, startled, eyes widening a little.

“I… thirty minutes or an hour, maybe?”

“You should take the night off.  You look like you’re running a fever.”

Suddenly Tim’s blush darkened and he looked almost mortified. “I-it’s not what you—”

“Calm down, Baby Bird.” Jason shook his head, moving to pour two cups of tea, offering the other man, one. “Too much a daddy’s boy to take a night off?  If you want something, you need to grow a spine.”

He watched the other man’s brows scrunch in confusion before watching realization wash across his face.  Tim stared at Jason for a long moment before he offered a shy smile and took the cup of tea finally.  He lifted his hand to his ear, contacting Bruce, letting him know he wasn’t feeling well, that he was going to stay in. 

That done, Tim looked back up at the other man and took a sip of his tea. “I could use a night off.”

Jason gave him amused look and sipped his tea, looking the other man over. “Good.”


End file.
